Dope

One would need to put in considerable effort to not be charmed with “Dope”.  A coming-of-age comic saga that borrows vibes, tricks, and soundtrack cues from 1992’s “Juice”, the tale of Malcolm and his squad of nerds possesses an energy that most contemporary films about growing up under less than ideal circumstances can’t manage, and the writing and performances are strong enough that, while there’s no getting around that this will become an unintentional period piece, it will still hold weight twenty years from now. I wish the ending was a little tighter, but I struggle for other pointed critiques.

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